How life has changed in Preston

Preston's population increased by about 10,600 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 140,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Preston increased by 8.2%, from almost 130,000 to 140,000.

The addition of just under 11,000 people means this area's population was the third-fastest-growing in the North West and increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Preston was home to, on average, 7 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Preston

Latest census data also show that the median age of Preston remained 35 years in the decade to 2011.

This area had a lower average age than the North West and remained somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 5,300 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 1,000.

About 18.0% of people in Preston are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Preston by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

Preston saw the North West's largest fall in the proportion of married people.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (41.5%) people aged 16 and over in Preston said they were married, compared with 47.8% in 2001. The percentage that said they were single increased from 33.6% to 40.9%.

Across the region, Hyndburn saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of married people (from 51.8% in 2001 to 45.8% in 2011).

Every local authority area across the North West saw a fall in the proportion of married people, as the regional average fell from 49.8% to 45.0%.

The proportion of married people was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Preston working less than 16 hours increased from 2.1% to 4.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 13 (7.4%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 10.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 1.7% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Preston increased by 1.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Preston, the North West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Preston

Preston saw the North West's joint third-largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability, alongside Salford. The largest fall was seen in Barrow-in-Furness

In 2011, just over 1 in 17 (6.1%) in Preston reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.8% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.3% to 4.0%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

More students

The percentage of Preston residents that were studying increased from 4.3% to 6.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 50.1%, while the percentage of Preston residents that were unemployed increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The proportion of students increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the North West (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Preston increased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Preston, the North West and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Preston at a faster rate than in South Ribble (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Preston).

In Preston, the proportion of private renting increased from 8.7% in 2001 to 18.0% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby South Ribble increased from 3.8% to 9.3%.

Across the North West, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.5% to 15.4%.

The rate of social housing in Preston remained close to 19.2%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 68.6% to 60.6%.

Private renting in Preston increased by 9.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Preston, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Preston

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Preston was among those who said they had no religion, rising 9.0 points.

In 2011, 19.5% of respondents in Preston gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 10.5% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the North West, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 11.3% to 21.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Preston, 64.7% said they were Christian, compared with 76.8% in 2001. About 11.9% said they were Muslim, compared with 8.9% a decade prior.

In Preston, 5.7% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.0% in 2001. Across the North West, 6.2% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Preston increased by 9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, North West and Preston by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Preston residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 10.3% to 6.1% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (80.7%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67.3% in 2001. The percentage of Preston residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.4% to 13.3%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.0% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Preston decreased by 4.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Preston, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Preston

In 2011, 15.5% of Preston residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 12.0% in 2001. The 3.5 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the North West, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 3.8% to 6.2%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 80.2% of people in Preston said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 85.5% in 2001. About 2.4% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.3% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.9% to 1.2%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Preston increased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Preston by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

The percentage of one-person households increased in Preston at a faster rate than across England.

In Preston, the proportion of one-person households increased from 31.3% in 2001 to 34.5% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 30.2% to 30.3%.

Across the North West, the share of one-person households increased from 30.9% to 32.2%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Preston increased from 7.9% to 9.5%, while the percentage of households with a married couple decreased from 34.4% to 29.9%.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Preston with children decreased from 30.9% to 29.2% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 6 in 10 (61.6%) households had no children, compared with 59.9% in 2001. The percentage of households in Preston with only adult children living with their parents increased from 9.2% to 9.3%.

The proportion of households with children fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 30.4% in 2001 to 28.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 29.5% to 29.2%.

The proportion of households with children was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Preston residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.2% to 1.6% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 2.2%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 1.3% in 2001 to 1.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Preston remained close to 1.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Preston by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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